Using AI for video editing—top tools, trends, and techniques

Thanks to companies like Adobe, AI tools are now widely accessible, helping everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals. Envato also has a pretty amazing text-and-image-to-video feature you should try, powered by Veo 3; Google’s latest generation video model.

And it’s not just about working faster. As AI evolves, it is becoming more like a collaborative tool or creative partner. It helps you work smarter, try out new ideas, and bring fresh vibes to your projects. So whether you’re just starting with editing or looking to stay on top of the latest trends, video editing AI can be your go-to creative buddy, helping you get great results.

Let’s explore a few of the significant ways AI video editing tools are helping editors work smarter and faster.

One of the best things about video-editing AI software is how it handles boring, time-consuming tasks. For example, with auto-reframe in Premiere Pro, AI can adjust your footage to fit different formats, like Instagram or YouTube, without you having to crop or reposition anything manually.

Getting the color theory just right can make or break a video’s mood, but it’s usually a tedious job. AI video enhancers now take over much of this work by analyzing each scene and tweaking colors to fit a specific vibe or look. With AI color grading, you can even recreate the style of your favorite movies or give your footage a specific mood in just a few clicks.

Sound can be tricky, but it’s half the magic of a good video. Now, with AI-assisted video editing, working with audio is much easier. Noise reduction tools can cut out background sounds, auto-ducking automatically lowers background music when someone’s speaking, and you can balance audio levels without diving deep into audio settings. It’s like having a mini audio engineer built right into your software.

For instance, you can use the newly introduced AI features on your DaVinci Resolve audio editing process to get a pretty professional mix of the audio tracks.

You know how long it can take if you’ve ever added captions by hand. Video editing AI tools have turned this into a quick and easy job. With speech-to-text transcription, you can caption videos automatically in Premiere Pro and other apps, which is great for making content accessible and viewer-friendly.

Plus, captions are necessary for social media, where many people watch videos without sound.

Adobe MAX 2024 introduced some exciting AI updates for video editors, making it easier to polish footage and experiment with new ideas. Here are a few of the latest features announced.

Adobe Premiere Pro’s new Generative Extend feature makes it easy to stretch out your footage with a touch of AI magic! Whether you need a few extra frames, a smoother transition, or just a little more space in a shot, Generative Extend has you covered. Powered by Adobe Firefly’s AI, it seamlessly adds frames to a clip’s start or end, helping you keep your edits looking sharp without hunting for more footage.

Generative Extend is still in its beta phase, so there are some limitations while Adobe continues to refine and improve it for professional use. This feature is best suited for basic resolutions and frame rates, and Adobe is actively gathering user feedback to make improvements.

In beta, Generative Extend currently supports:

With Content Credentials, Adobe offers a new layer of transparency and recognition for creators. After using Generative Extend, you can now export from Adobe Premiere Pro and Media Encoder with tamper-evident metadata that is embedded directly into your video.

This feature not only allows creators to showcase their authentic work but also enhances transparency, allowing viewers to trust what they’re seeing. Content Credentials make connecting with your audience and receiving credit easier, creating a more open and collaborative online environment.

Adobe Firefly’s Web App now includes a new Generate Video feature in beta, bringing the magic of generative AI directly to your browser. With Generate Video, users can quickly create short videos from text prompts, making it easy to bring ideas to life with just a few words.

This tool is perfect for creating quick visuals, experimenting with new ideas, or adding fresh elements to your projects without extensive editing experience. It’s a fun, fast way to play around with video content and see what AI can help you create!

One of the standout features of Adobe Max 2024 is the new Image-to-Video feature. With this feature, you can take an existing photo, illustration, or digital artwork and turn it into a dynamic, live-action video clip. This AI-assisted video editing tool analyzes still images and adds subtle motion, depth, or animation, creating a sense of realism and movement that can make your visuals feel more immersive.

Envato also has an Image-to-Video feature you may like to try.

AI-driven tools are becoming the secret ingredient behind some incredible video projects. From social media creators to indie filmmakers, more people are using AI to streamline editing and take their content to the next level. Here are a few ways AI is helping creators achieve excellent results in real-world scenarios.

Speed and quality are key for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Creators use AI-powered scene detection and auto-reframe tools to quickly edit footage and adjust formats for different social media channels. AI video enhancers keep their videos sharp, engaging, and platform-ready in minutes.

It’s no surprise to see the growth of AI in the film industry. Independent filmmakers often work with limited budgets and small crews, so AI video tools can be a game-changer.

With AI-powered color grading and visual effects from tools like Adobe Firefly, indie filmmakers can add cinematic polish to their projects without needing costly, specialized equipment.

AI-enhanced video tools help music and event video creators work at lightning speed to deliver polished content. AI-powered beat syncing, quick scene detection, and color grading tools streamline editing, so creators can sync visuals with audio, switch perspectives, or adjust lighting and color in just a few clicks.

AI tools transform documentary editing by speeding up tasks like transcription and scene sorting.

For journalists, tools like speech-to-text save interview time by generating captions and transcriptions. Meanwhile, AI-driven audio clean-up and color correction ensure high-quality production, even when filming conditions are challenging.

For wedding and event videographers, AI video enhancer tools streamline editing by automatically organizing clips, balancing color in varied lighting, and suggesting scene transitions. With AI-enhanced audio cleanup, wedding videographers can remove background noise for clearer vows and speeches. This allows videographers to create beautiful, cohesive edits that capture the day’s emotions with less post-production time.

Video editing AI is helping brands create eye-catching product videos by automating aspects of shooting and editing, like making seamless transitions and adding close-up effects. AI-driven background removal can place products in different settings without physically moving them. These tools enable e-commerce brands to produce visually engaging, high-quality videos that showcase their products and attract shoppers.

AI is becoming a go-to for real estate agents and virtual tour creators. With AI-powered scene stabilization, automatic lighting adjustments, and even AI-generated voiceovers, real estate video content can be produced quickly and with professional polish. These AI video enhancer tools help create immersive, high-quality virtual tours and listings, giving prospective buyers a clearer, more engaging viewing experience.

As AI becomes a powerful tool in video editing, creators need to think about how they’re using it and the impact it can have on audiences. While AI can enhance creativity and streamline workflows, it also brings some ethical considerations that editors must consider when using these tools responsibly.

With AI-generated effects and enhancements, modifying reality in a video is easier than ever. For creators working in journalism, documentaries, or any field where accuracy matters, it’s essential to use AI responsibly and to be clear about what’s real and what’s been enhanced. Adding content credentials, for example, can help viewers understand where AI was used and build trust and transparency.

AI tools allow altering footage or even creating entirely new scenes. While this is exciting creatively, it also raises concerns about misinformation. Editing in a way that might mislead or misrepresent subjects can quickly erode audience trust. Creators should use these tools thoughtfully and ensure that they’re not manipulating content in a way that could be misleading.

Google’s Veo 3 (which powers Envato’s VideoGen tool) is mind-blowingly realistic in what it can create, making the need for responsible use even clearer.

While an AI-enhanced video tool can handle a lot of the technical heavy lifting, there’s a risk of relying on it too much, which could make work feel impersonal or formulaic. Responsible use of AI means seeing it as a tool that supports human creativity rather than replacing it. Keeping a unique style and a personal touch in each project helps ensure that AI is a creative aid, not a substitute.

Some AI tools use existing images, sounds, or data as training material. If AI-generated content resembles copyrighted material, it’s essential to be aware of potential intellectual property issues. Using AI-generated effects and enhancements ethically means respecting other creators’ work and ownership rights.

There’s no denying AI is shaking things up in video editing, making it easier than ever to create excellent content without getting lost in the technical stuff. By automating tedious tasks and adding fun effects, AI-enhanced video tools free up time so editors can do what they love most: tell stories and explore new creative ideas.

If you’d like to learn more about AI and creative industries, we have a whole load of resources for you, like our post on the current state of generative AI in 3D, an interesting look at the Panavision effect in AI, and our take on how AI is transforming graphic design.